Other professionals at FC St. Pauli are still on vacation, but not Jackson Irvine (29). One of the most important games of the career for the midfield racer is on Tuesday.
Irvine’s battle for the penultimate World Cup ticket!
In the play-offs for the World Cup in Qatar he will play with Australia against the United Arab Emirates at 8 p.m. in Doha. If they win, the “Socceroes” will fight against South America’s fifth-placed Peru on June 13 for the penultimate World Cup ticket.
A day later, Costa Rica and New Zealand determine the last World Cup participant.
From FC St. Pauli, his new teammate Connor Metcalfe (22) will keep his fingers crossed for him and Australia. Metcalfe, who was in the Australia final with Melbourne City last week, is not in the Aussie squad for the play-offs but can still hope for a place in the World Cup squad if they qualify.
For Irvine (42 caps, 5 goals) it would be the second World Cup participation after 2018 in Russia. He came on as a substitute in the group matches against France (1-2), Denmark (1-1) and Peru (0-2).
Should Australia drop out today, Irvine would have to go back to Germany – and he would be back at St. Pauli in time for the start of training (June 11).